Who’s accountable for Bengals losing profession years from Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase?

Ja’Marr Chase’s frustration spoke to what must be mentioned in terms of the Bengals.

After his staff’s second-half rally fell brief in a 34-27 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 11, the famous person huge receiver pointed the finger at coach Zac Taylor when requested of Cincinnati’s issues ending video games.

“Ask Zac. … Ask the coaches,” Chase stated within the locker room after the sport. “Don’t ask me. It’s not my job.

“I play soccer on the sphere,” he continued. “I do not name performs for us, ? So, I can not actually do something.”

The level just isn’t whether or not Chase ought to have made these feedback publicly.

The actuality is that the coach is enjoying a important function in dooming a season that started with Super Bowl expectations for Cincinnati.

How can or not it’s seen another means? Quarterback Joe Burrow is among the many NFL leaders in completions (274), go makes an attempt (408), passing yards (3,028) and passing touchdowns (27). Before Cincinnati’s bye week, Chase was on tempo to develop into the league’s Triple Crown winner, main all gamers in receptions, yards and touchdowns. Defensive finish Trey Hendrickson leads the NFL with 11.5 sacks. Wideout Tee Higgins is averaging 81.5 receiving yards per recreation.

So the Bengals’ 4 greatest gamers are having profession years in a single kind or one other — and but the staff is hurtling towards lacking the playoffs for the second straight season.

Cincinnati does not play effectively towards good groups (4-1 towards groups with a shedding file, 0-6 towards groups with a successful file, together with two conferences with the division-rival Baltimore Ravens). And the Bengals have had a persistent drawback closing out video games, which speaks to a training drawback. Six of the seven losses got here by seven factors or fewer.

Late defensive breakdowns, particularly, have been a theme in these contests. There’s no excusing two missed area objectives by kicker Evan McPherson within the fourth quarter of the Chargers recreation, however the protection additionally gave up an 84-yard landing run in 4 performs within the ultimate seconds to seal the loss. And in its earlier three video games, together with the Week 9 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, Cincinnati scored double-digit factors within the fourth quarter. In reality, previous to Week 11, the Bengals had allowed double-digit fourth-quarter factors in every of their 4 losses since Week 3. Cincinnati has given up no less than 24 factors total in eight of 11 video games this season, together with no less than 34 5 instances.

Under coordinator Lou Anarumo, the Bengals are second-worst in pink zone effectivity (70.6%), fifth-worst in each factors allowed per recreation (26.9), and sixth-worst in scoring protection. third down (44.4%). It does not assist that the Bengals will likely be with out two of their prime three cornerbacks transferring ahead: Dax Hill (torn ACL) has been out since Week 5 and 2023 second-round choose DJ Turner II was positioned on injured reserve after breaking his collarbone within the loss to the Chargers, however the protection is in its second yr of decline.

In 2022, the Bengals ranked eighth in scoring protection. They dropped to twenty first place final yr earlier than falling additional to twenty eighth place up to now this season.

With their playoff hopes dwindling, the Bengals nonetheless should face the AFC North-leading Pittsburgh Steelers twice, together with on Sunday. They even have the upstart Denver Broncos, who’ve received seven of their final 10 video games.

“Our season is way from over,” Taylor stated after the loss to Los Angeles. “We’re going to should win a variety of them. Obviously we will put ourselves in a troublesome state of affairs. But I feel … we’ll be proper there ultimately.”

While stars like Burrow and Chase attain their peak, the Bengals have regressed, losing their Super Bowl window. After consecutive AFC title recreation appearances, together with a visit to Super Bowl LVI, Cincinnati might miss the postseason for the second straight yr.

“We’re not going to be these individuals who panic as a result of the file is 4-7 and we begin making all these vital modifications,” Taylor stated. “That’s not the reply. We play good soccer, we’re a superb soccer staff, we imagine in our guys. We have good programs in place. We’ll keep there, help one another and attempt to discover a method to get this factor achieved .”

Time is operating out.

And when that occurs, with out a playoff spot, fingers will level to Taylor.

Ben Arthur is an NFL reporter for FOX Sports. He beforehand labored for The Tennessean/USA TODAY Network, the place he was Titans beat the author for a yr and a half. It coated the Seattle Seahawks for SeattlePI.com for 3 seasons (2018-20) earlier than transferring to Tennessee. You can observe Ben on Twitter at @benyarthur.

(Want nice tales delivered proper to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, observe leagues, groups and gamers to obtain a customized publication each day.)

Get extra from the National Football League Follow your favorites to get data on video games, information and extra